How Teacher Leaders Connect and Manage Student Learning
Teachers and teacher leaders are the central element to student learning. Teachers provide a safe, active learning community that fosters respect, caring, sharing, responsibility, and the love of learning. Teachers are charged with ensuring that all students receive a quality education regardless of race, origin, or learning ability. The purpose of this interview is to obtain effective teacher strategies that show how effective teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. In this interview, I asked four questions that support the delivery of effective instruction, as it relates to trends and issues in managing and monitoring student learning. There are also responses to questions about the strategies used to engage students in a disciplined environment.
In addition, the teachers were asked to share ideas about how they organized instruction to meet instructional needs. This interview will conclude with a question about strategies on the progress of individual students in the form of assessment as a whole, as well as independently. I will look at how the teacher responses support their demonstration of the delivery of effective instruction in accordance with the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Core Proposition 3. This proposition is what effective teachers and teacher evaluators use to guide their assessment of a teachers’ connection and management instructional techniques, to keep students motivated, engaged and focused.
The teachers interviewed have individually taught and worked in this school system for more than twenty years. They have knowledge teaching in classes from kindergarten to fifth grade with teaching experience...
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...nd that these teacher leaders had similar teaching strategies and techniques that were focused on student learning, student motivation, and student engagement. These teachers provided quality instruction through careful planning and considered each student’s learning style. Lessons and instruction was integrated across the curriculum. The teachers incorporated technology to expose students to a variety of concepts and tools for learning development, which allowed an equitable learning opportunity for all. Although learning was a focus for effective teaching, I have found that teacher leaders have sound structural framework in management, organization, and discipline. It is easy to see that teacher leaders are successful in effective teaching, maintaining focus of students, and student monitoring progress, because of clear goals and high expectations of all students
Frank, V. V. (2009, September). Framework for Improvement: Effective School Leadership Translates into Increased Student Learning. The Learning Principal: National Staff Development Council , pp. 2, 6-7.
Two years ago School District 74 organized a series of leadership workshops designed to strengthen the leadership performance of school administration and teaching staff. Participants were encouraged to think of themselves as leaders and to identify situations in which they were or could be leaders. The idea seemed to be not only that our school system will be improved through the development of strong leadership (on its own an important recognition), but also that anyone (and everyone) can be a leader in his or her own position within the system. This is a ridiculous idea. If leadership is approached as the only label that designates personal merit or importance, then the implication is that followers are less capable, less thoughtful and less important than leaders. If everyone is a leader, then the idea of leadership quickly loses its meaning; leadership implies followership, and without followers leaders could never lead effectively. Past emphasis on leadership has largely ignored the reciprocal relationship between leadership and followership. The purpose of this paper is to briefly discuss followership, and to acknowledge its importance to organizations, especially school systems.
For the lead teacher interview assignment, I had the opportunity to sit down with and interview my son’s EC teacher from last year, Mrs. Hamm. Since my son started at the school last year, Mrs. Hamm has helped him in so many different ways. Mrs. Hamm has been teaching for over 20 years from her home state of Pennsylvania and more currently at Mount Energy Elementary School in Creedmoor, NC. Mrs. Hamm has been teaching at Mount Energy Elementary School in Creedmoor, NC for the last 12 years and recently awarded “Teacher of the Year”. Mrs. Hamm, up until this school year, was the main EC teacher for all grades Kindergarten through fifth grade at Mount Energy Elementary School. As of the present school year, the school district made the determination that she was over the acceptable number of students. As a result, they decided to hire an additional EC teacher and assistant to teach grades 3-5th and Mrs. Hamm would teach grades K-2. Mrs. Hamm was the teacher of 18 students until this decision was made, now with grades K-2, she has 9 students in her class.
Teacher knowledge has always been the basis to an effective learning experience. Without a knowledgeable teacher, students are not able to receive a quality educational experience. This pillar encompasses the influence teachers have on student learning and achievement, possession of research based knowledge, and effective teaching practices. I thrive to be educated and knowledgeable on the information presented to my students. By having a variety of teaching techniques that work and I use often in my classroom, I am able to mold my instruction around student needs and provide efficient and
DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION OF A SHARED VISION: Education leaders facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision of learning and growth of all students, (1C) Implementing the Vision connection to my action plan. I collaborate with key stakeholders with the intention of fostering a shared vision, one that is proactive in nature. Proactive interventions, such as the development of a BIP will aid in a shared vision of learning and growth for all students regardless of ability levels. INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP: Education leaders shape a collaborative culture of teaching and learning informed by professional standards and focused on student and professional growth (2C) Supporting Teachers to Improve Practice (2D) Feedback on Instruction, directly relates to my action plan as I will engage in open collaborative conversations with teachers, administrators, and essential staff members. I will conduct informal classroom observations with the intension of providing feedback, constructing classroom materials, dispersing information. EXTERNAL CONTEXT AND POLICY Education leaders influence political, social, economic, legal and cultural contexts affecting education to improve education policies and practices (6A) Understanding and Communicating Policy correlates with my action plan. I will inform all essential members of the current legal mandates established by federal law, as safeguarding student
I have been a classroom teacher with the same school division (and its legacy divisions) for twenty two years. I have therefore, been an active participant and witness to the multitude of changes and growth that have enveloped the realm of education and my school division. My role in the classroom has mainly included English and Arts instruction at the grade 11 and 12 levels. I have considered it an honor to be one of the last teachers involved in a student’s K-12 education and have deeply recognized this important leadership role, guiding our students by way of instruction and by example, through their final educational stretch and empowering them to be leaders themselves. I feel that I have helped to create a society of learners where students are being constantly challenged, where they experienced meaningful personal and educational growth and were empowered to celebrate their accomplishments whether they were big or small.
Teachers: What Do We Really Know? Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness , 2 (3), 209-249.
Lang, H., Evans, D.(2006). Models, Strategies, and Methods for Effective Teaching. USA, Pearson Education Inc.
The role of teacher leader has been defined as “teachers who aspire to stretch beyond their classrooms to engage in leadership roles that take many shapes and forms, both “informal and formal”. (ECS, 2010). Teacher leadership has also been described as “the process by which teachers, individually and collectively, influence their colleagues, principals, and other members of the school community to improve learning practices with the aim of increased student learning and achievement.” (ECS, 2010). In years past, a majority of teacher leadership roles took the form of department chair, committee chair, grade level chair, etc. It was more of a representative role versus a leadership role. Their responsibility primarily involved dispersing information from administration to their counterparts and taking information back to administration from the group. Their position lacked decision-making power and true leadership that brings about “real” change. These tasks are still viewed as opportunities for teacher leadership; however, recently, the
What does leadership mean in the context of educational leadership? Many definitions of leadership in education co-exist, attesting to the complexity and multi-faceted phenomena of the concept (Elwell & Elikofer, 2013). Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood organizational and psychological areas of study. Despite volumes of research and numerous theories, no one theory of leadership emerged as the sole predictor of the success of educational leaders. The current body of knowledge about leadership consists of narrow definitions of leader effectiveness that are disconnected from their context (Latham, 2014). Educational leadership influences and affects every dimension of the educational process from the
The teacher was rated using a rubric with specific criteria in four domains including planning and preparation, the classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities (Hillsborough County Public Schools, 2012). Within each of these domains are components which are the performance factors that are relevant to classroom teachers. In domain one the components include: demonstrating knowledge of content and pedagogy, demonstrating knowledge of students, setting instructional outcomes, demonstrating knowledge of resources and technology, designing coherent instruction, and designing student assessments. The components for domain two include: creating an environment of respect and rapport, establishing a culture for learning, managing classroom procedures, managing student behavior, organizing physical space. In domain three the components included are: communicating with students, using questioning and discussion, engaging students in learning, using assessment in instruction, and demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness. There is only one component that was rated for domain four which is reflecting on teaching.
Classroom management is a key element to establish a successful learning environment in any classroom. An effective classroom management plan creates a positive learning environment. Classroom management is affected by the characteristics of the students and their behavior. Students’ behavior is influenced by their age, academic abilities, goals, interests, and home backgrounds (Evertson, Emmer, and Worsham, 2006). Teachers need a diverse array of classroom management skills to facilitate learning. A classroom with a proper management plan will spend less time in disciplining and more time in learning. Students in effectively managed classrooms know and follow clearly defined rules and routines. A classroom management plan should provide for several important factors that influence proper discipline in the classroom (Edwards, 2004).
In a book written by Farr (2010) book, Teacher as Leadership: the Highly Effective Teachers Guide to Closing the Achievement Gap, effective teachers are ...
York-Barr, J. & K. Duke (2004) what do we know about teacher leadership? Findings from two decades of scholarship. Review of educational research 74(3), 255-316.
Our nation’s education system strives through the hard work and dedication of its educators. Often great teachers, principles and supporting staff are drawn to the profession because they possess the desire to empower, inspire, nurture and watch young people grow - not only academically, but also emotionally. These people are there because they want to make an impact upon our society and the lives of whom the reach. Highly effective teachers are those who have taken learning to new heights by accelerating student learning, closing achievement gaps that persisted for decades, and promoting a mindset of change. Moreover, the presence of highly effective teachers in classrooms today continues to manifest as a result of the support from strong school leaders (U.S. Department of Education, 2013).